


Rising Star

by AJsRandom



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Celebrity Crush, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-07-26 13:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 12,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7575919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AJsRandom/pseuds/AJsRandom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A drabble series. Actress Morgana ducks into Merlin’s coffee shop to hide from paps but she doesn't expect for find a genuinely nice guy behind the counter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Coffee Shop

The hood and sunglasses had evidently _not_ worked to fool the paps. The snakes had followed her anyway—she couldn’t even shop for her brother’s birthday gift in peace. She crossed the street and ducked into the first shop door she saw.

Looking up, she saw a skinny dark-haired man behind the counter. All around him was coffee-making equipment. _A coffee shop then_. She whipped off her sunglasses and said the first thing that came to mind, “Hide me, please.”

The man looked more than a little surprised but nodded and said, “Okay.” He glanced behind him then said, “Here, the restroom. I’ll tell them you went out the back.”

“Thank you.” She slipped inside the room he was pointing to, locked the door and left the light off.

She heard the bell ding on the door to the outside. Several loud voices spoke at once. She couldn’t hear much, but her name was mentioned more than once. The shop owner replied in a much milder tone, telling them the cover story he’d come up with. After a bit of arguing, the door’s bell dinged again and the loud voices left. She sighed and relaxed against the door.

A minute or so later, she was startled by a soft knock. “Miss Le Fay? They’re long gone. You can come out now.”

Morgana opened the door to the bluest eyes she’s ever seen. “Thank you . . .”

“Merlin.”

“Thank you Merlin. I definitely owe you. Can I maybe autograph something for you?”

“Um, that would be lovely, Miss Le Fay—”

“Morgana, please.”

“Morgana. Um, here . . .” He rummaged around his counter and came up with a cardboard cup cozy and a permanent marker.

She took both from him and smiled. “You’re so much nicer than the people I usually deal with.” She set the cozy on the counter and signed it, also writing her London phone number. The _private_ number. “If there’s ever anything I can do for you, let me know.” She thought for a moment. “Any ideas for a better disguise?”

“Oh sure. Here.” He took off his apron and handed it to her. He also handed her a T-shirt and ball cap with the shop’s logo. “Tuck your hair up into this and put on the shirt and apron. You can take my friend’s reading glasses. I’ll just get him a new pair.”

She smiled and took everything he held out to her then went back into the restroom. When she came out a few minutes later, he looked her over. “Much better. Though it’s you that makes the outfit, not the other way around.”

Morgana smiled again. “You _must_ let me pay for all this.” He started to shake his head. “No, I insist. And I’ll need another t-shirt. I ventured out today to get my brother a birthday gift and I think he’ll love this.”

“Thank you Miss—Morgana.”

She pulled out her card and paid. “No, thank _you_. And remember, I still owe you a favor.” With that, she swept out of the shop, the bell dinging merrily.

Merlin drooped back against the wall and slid down it. _No one will ever believe this story_ , he thought.


	2. Game Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgana comes to Merlin’s gang’s game night.

Merlin pulled the piece of cardboard out of his pocket again for the umpteenth time that day. _Should I or shouldn’t I? She did say_ . . . he shook his head forcefully and shoved it back into his pocket. Everyone in the shop probably thought he was crazy, but fortunately none of them had left because of it.

He continued the same thought process and behavior for the rest of his shift. When Will came to replace him, he was leaning against the wall, one hand in his chin and one holding the cardboard. He didn’t notice Will until his friend said his name. He quickly stuffed the cardboard bit in his pocket and looked up at Will. “Hey.”

“Hey. You _still_ thinking about calling her?” He rolled his eyes. “Just do it already!”

“I can’t.”

“Oh come on. She gave you that number for a reason—use it!”

A resolute look came into Merlin’s eyes. “You’re right!” He pulled out his phone and walked into the back room. He walked out five minutes later with a glazed look on his face. “She said yes. _Oh my_ —she said _yes_!”

Will walked over and clapped Merlin on his back. “Good on ya! So she’s coming Friday night?”

“Yeah.”

Will snickered. “Great! Well, I look forward to seeing your famous girlfriend.”

oO0Oo

Merlin’s doorbell rang late Friday afternoon. He opened the door to Morgana Le Fay, the gorgeous actress who’d taken refuge in his shop a couple of weeks ago. “Hi,” she offered.

“Come in,” he replied and widened the door for her to enter. He closed it behind her.

“So, game night huh?”

“Yeah, it’s a tradition my friends and I started in Uni. Whoever wasn’t out that night would get together and play. Sometimes it was board games; sometimes it was video games, but always Friday night.”

“That sounds like a lot of fun.” She frowned as she sat on his sofa. “So, they don’t believe we’ve met, huh?”

“Can you blame them?”

“Not really. But I’m happy to help you out. It’s the least I can do.” She smiled brightly at him and he nearly melted.

“Well, thank you—” he started, but his doorbell rang.

It was Lance and Gwen. He let them in and introduced them to Morgana. They were very surprised, but recovered themselves nicely. Fortunately they weren’t the type of people to fawn over a person—Gwen met several well-to-do people in her business, a wedding dress boutique.

Next at the door was Freya. When she saw Morgana, she clammed up and ran into the kitchen. Merlin, Lance and Gwen let Morgana know that Freya was painfully shy and this was typical for her. She’d warm up over the course of the evening.

Last to arrive was Will. He walked in and his mouth fell open. _One of those_ , Morgana thought. She went over to Merlin and took his hand. “Who’s this _darling_?” she asked him.

Both men were surprised, but Merlin hid it better. “This is Will. He also works at the shop.”

“It’s so lovely to meet you, Will.” She turned to Merlin. “So what are we playing tonight, darling?” She kissed his cheek for good measure.

“I thought we’d start with _Apples to Apples_ then work our way into _Sorry_ if we felt like it.”

“I can’t wait!”

Everyone put their food and drink offerings on Merlin’s table while he brought out his games. Morgana made sure to seat herself next to him. As the night progressed, she took great joy in the looks Merlin’s friends darted at her and Merlin, like they couldn’t believe how lucky he was. The thing was, she didn’t pretend all that much—she genuinely _liked_ Merlin. He was a down-to-earth guy with a quirky sense of humor. While he wasn’t classically handsome, his eyes were the most unusual shade of blue she’d ever seen. And his cheekbones—well, she could amuse herself for hours just by running her fingers over them.

Merlin’s friends turned out to be some of the nicest people she’d ever met. Even before her television and movie success, her social circles had moved in different directions. These people were genuinely kind and generous; they didn’t pander or try too hard. _I could really learn to love them_.

At the end of the first game, which shy Freya won, they all decided to call it a night. Gwen, Lance, Will, and Freya were still giving her and Merlin looks. _Maybe they thought the two of us want some alone time?_ Whatever the reason, they bid her goodnight and took their extra food.

Once they’d left, Merlin looked nervous. “Um, thank you for coming. You didn’t have to . . .”

“Oh I absolutely did! And I had a great time! It’s been a while since I’ve been able to enjoy such a simple pleasure.”

He blushed. “Well, now we’re even so—”

She leaned forward quickly and kissed him soundly. When she pulled away, she said, “Oh, I don’t think so.” She giggled at his dazed look. “Call me again sometime, because _you_ owe _me_ now.” She winked then walked out the door. She had a feeling she’d be hearing from him again soon.


	3. Sweet Treat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgana gets tired of waiting for Merlin to call so she visits him at the shop.

After the last customer left, Merlin turned the sign on the door to “closed.” He’d just turned away when the door rattled behind him. He turned back around to see a familiar, beautiful face at the door, and immediately opened it. “Morgana,” he breathed.  
  
She closed the door behind her and he moved to lock it again. “Hello, Merlin. I’ve missed you. How come you haven’t called?”  
  
He remembered it had been a week since the game night at his flat and flushed. “I-I’m sorry. I’ve had to run this place nearly by myself the past few days. It’s exhausting.”

She put her hands up around his neck. “Oh, you poor thing. I’ll make it better for you.” She brought his head down for a thorough kiss.  
  
Merlin was too shocked to respond at first. But when she dropped a hand to his waist, he “woke up” and began kissing her back enthusiastically. His hands went to her waist to hold her in place before she broke away. “Mmm, thank you,” he murmured.  
  
“I just saw a bit of sugar there and had to taste.”  
  
He laughed then stepped back and took her hand. “Can I get you anything before I clean the machines?”  
  
She sat at a table close to the counter. “Oh, no thanks. Anything now would keep me up all night.” She laughed a glorious, throaty laugh.  
  
Merlin stared at her longingly. _No wonder she has so many fans_. “Okay.” He continued behind the counter and began his work. “Can I get you anything else? A sugary pastry?”  
  
“No thank you. Your company is all I need.”  
  
They chatted about their different lives as he cleaned the machines then tidied up the shop. He was very interested in her life, but not in a gossipy sort of way, which she appreciated. He also asked her about her life before her fame, which not many people bothered with. She was equally curious about his life before they’d met. He shared all about his family, friends and growing up in a tiny town in Wales. _It’s amazing how the two of us were raised so differently but blend so well_.  
  
She looked up when she’d noticed Merlin had stopped talking. He was rustling through various drawers behind the counter, and eventually produced two candles and matches.  
He also bore a plate with a couple small pastries. “I know you said you didn’t want anything, but these were left over . . .”  
  
She smiled encouragingly and said, “It’s okay. I have a bit of room now.”  
  
He smiled back and walked over with his load. “Oh good. Here we go then.” He set everything on the table then lit the candles. The ambiance in the room subtly shifted as he sat across from her. “Morgana . . . I . . .” He flushed and looked down.  
  
“Merlin, what is it?”  
  
“You must get dozens of requests like this every day, but . . . would you go out with me?”  
  
She was a bit surprised at his nervousness. He’d seemed so poised and confident previously. “Merlin—of course I’ll go out with you. Couldn’t you tell?”  
  
“Couldn’t I tell what?”  
  
“That I really like you? You’re the most genuine, funny and down-to-earth guy I’ve met in a long time. I’ve decided I want you for my boyfriend.”  
  
He blushed. “You can’t be serious.”  
  
“I am, really. Have you _seen_ the guys in my business?” He nodded. “There’s a shortage of guys like you, so when I find one, I have to hold on.” She took his hand. “I _want_ to go out with _you_ , Merlin. For a very long time, if I get my way.” Her smile was blinding and honest.  
  
He flushed again. “That would be _fantastic_! Would you like to come back to mine for a while? I mean, if you want to.”  
  
“Yes.” She stood and pulled him with her then put a hand to his face. This time _he_ took the initiative and kissed _her_. His hands went down to hold her hips as she deepened the kiss by licking at his lips. He opened his mouth with a groan and soon their tongues were tangling. She’d twisted her hands into his hair and held him there.  
  
“Mm,” he said when they broke for air. He then laced her hand with his and pulled her away. Morgana couldn’t help but feel like _this_ relationship would be different. _This_ may just be the one that changed her life for good.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it time to meet family?

The shop’s phone ringing brought Merlin out of his daydream about Morgana. In his defense, it had been a really good daydream about the previous night. “Hello,” he said.

“Merlin,” Morgana said. He loved the way she said his name. “How are you?”

“I’m great.” _Now that I’m talking to you_.

“I’m glad to hear that! I thought you might like to meet my brother. Well, half-brother.”

“Is he famous too? I mean, should I know who he is?”

Morgana laughed on the other end. “Not necessarily. He’s just the Vice Prez of Camelot Industries.”

“ _The_ Camelot Industries?”

“Yes.”

“Whoa.” He ran a hand through his hair. “All right, when?”

“I thought I’d bring him by this afternoon when you get off.”

A customer stepped through the door and up to the counter. “Hang on,” he told Morgana. He helped the customer, which gave him time to think. Were they really at the point in their relationship where they could introduce family? It seemed kind of early, but what the heck? At least it wasn’t her dad. The customer left to sit down and he picked up the phone. “Okay then.”

“Great! I’ll see you at four.”

ooOoo

When the door dinged open at four, Merlin looked up and smiled. Morgana stepped in and behind her was a tall, blonde man. He looked around the place and frowned. Merlin walked around the counter and greeted the pair. “Hello there.”

“Hey you,” Morgana replied. She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Merlin, this is my brother, Arthur.”

Arthur stepped from behind Morgana. “Half-brother,” he corrected, and stuck his hand out.

Merlin shook his hand then gestured to a table. “We can sit and you can order.”

“Great. I’d love to see what Morgana’s been raving about,” Arthur replied.

Morgana flushed when Merlin glanced at her. “Thanks, love,” he told her.

Merlin signaled to Will behind the counter and he ambled over. He took Arthur’s and Morgana’s orders then retreated to prepare them. Merlin turned to Arthur. “So, tell me about Morgana.”

Arthur grinned. “This should be fun. She may look perfect now, but she’s not. You should have seen her when she moved in with us.” He made a show of shuddering. “Scary.”

Morgana smacked his arm. “Arthur!”

“It’s true. No one had taught her how to fix her hair and she wore braces. Father had to hire someone to straighten her out. Pun intended.” He chuckled.

“You’re such a prat,” Morgana said.

Merlin just looked at the siblings and smiled. Being an only child had its disadvantages, like having no one to argue with. He covered Morgana’s hand with his. “Don’t worry, Morgana, I still think you’re perfect.”

She smiled in appreciation while Arthur rolled his eyes. “You two are bad already.”

Will brought over their drinks. The three renewed their conversation after he left again. Merlin got to learn plenty about both siblings. He discovered that Arthur could act like a self-entitled prat, but he was compassionate and down-to earth at heart. He could easily be friends with this man.


	5. Death by Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin invites Morgana over to make Death by Chocolate.

The next day found Merlin grocery shopping. He’d invited Morgana to his flat tonight to help make something special that he knew she would enjoy. She’d mentioned how much she loved chocolate so he was now shopping for the ingredients to the ultimate chocolate dessert—Death by Chocolate. Containing several forms of chocolate, it was the richest chocolate concoction he knew of.

He gradually finished shopping, checked out and headed for home. The brownie layer had to be baked ahead of time so it could cool enough to not melt the mousse layer. He mixed unsweetened chocolate, sugar, vanilla, flour, chopped macadamia nuts, and margarine. After that he spread it into a spring form pan and set it to bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. He pulled it out when it was done and set it on a rack to cool.

Merlin glanced at the clock and realized Morgana would be here any minute. He gathered together the ingredients and tools he’d need for the truffle mousse layer and spread them on the counter. As soon as he’d done that, a knock sounded at the door. He rushed over to open it.

Standing there was Morgana, but not the polished beauty he was used to seeing. This Morgana wore a slightly baggy jacket, huge sunglasses and a camera. Her hair was tucked up into a baseball cap and she carried a map that read “Greater London Area.” He could hardly believe what he was seeing, let alone hold back laughter. He gestured for her to come inside and shut the door behind her.

“Hiya,” she said and blew a bubble with the gum she had in her mouth.

He couldn’t help himself any longer—he burst into laughter. After a few second, she joined him. When it ran its course, he said, “I’m sorry; you just look so unlike you.”

She grinned. “That’s the idea. It’s not so easy to be me, you know?”

“Oh, I remember.” He bent down and gave her a light kiss. “So, are you ready to experience Death by Chocolate?”

“Of course I am. Your words are music to my chocoholic ears.” She took off her camera, hat, sunglasses, and jacket and followed him into the kitchen. “Mm, it smells great in here.”

“That’s just the brownie part. We’re going to work on the truffle mousse now.”

“Oh stop it, you’re making my mouth water.”

“Good. Now let’s get this going—it has to chill for four hours.” He mused for a few seconds. “Of course we could always speed it up by putting it in the freezer.”

She grinned back at him. “All right, what do we have to do first?”

He handed her a liquid measuring cup with water. “Pour that into the pan over there.” She did this while he opened an envelope of unflavored gelatin. He sprinkled that onto the water and let it stand for 2 minutes while he measured out the butter. He handed it to Morgana and told her to put it in the pan and heat it. “Stir it until it boils.”

“Got it.”

He turned to the blender and dumped chocolate chips inside. Then he added sugar. He blended it then turned to ask Morgana, “Is it boiling yet?”

“Just started.”

“Okay. Now pour it into the blender.” She did this and set down the pan. “Great, now pour those egg yolks in.” She picked up the prep bowl with the eggs and did so. “Okay, now put the vanilla in too.” After she did that, he blended the mixture for a minute or so. “We need the pan again.” She moved it over and he poured the mixture into it then sat it on the stove again.

“Now what?” she asked.

“Stir that until it thickens. I’ve got to get ready for the next step.” He took one huge bowl over to the freezer and dumped ice into it. He then took it over to the sink then filled it part way with water. He set it down then picked up a large bowl that would fit inside the huge one. He brought it over to Morgana and asked, “How’s it going?”

“It looks pretty thick. See?” She dipped the spoon in and brought it back out.

“Good. Turn off the heat and pour it into this bowl.”

She did then asked, “What now?”

He picked up the bowl and sat it in the bowl of ice water. “Now it chills for a little while.” He handed her a package of tube-shaped cookies. “Cut these in half crosswise.” He pointed to a cutting board and knife.

“I think I can handle that,” she smirked.

He watched her for a few minutes then checked the chocolate mixture. It was sufficiently thick, so he scooped about one-quarter of it into a pastry bag. He placed this in the refrigerator then walked over to where the brownie was cooling. He felt it; it was cool enough to pour half of the chilled mix over. After that, he turned to Morgana and saw she was finished cutting the cookies. “Bring those over here, will you?”

“Right.” She brought the cutting board over.

“Thanks, love.” He bent down to give her a quick kiss.

She smiled into it, then broke away. “Well? Let’s finish.”

“Okay. Lay these cut side down around the top edge.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Whip the cream.” He poured heavy whipping cream into the mixer bowl and began beating it. When it looked good, he folded it into the rest of the chocolate mixture. He picked up that bowl and brought it over to the pan where Morgana had finished with the cookies. She watched with anticipation as he spread that mixture over the pan’s contents. “Would you get the pastry bag out of the fridge for me?”

“Sure. Are you going to decorate with this?”

“You got it.” She watched as he decorated around the edges of the now-complete dessert.

“You’re really good at this.”

“I should be. My mum demands it for her birthday every year.”

Morgana laughed. “I think I’m going to like her.”

Merlin paused his movement. “Really?”

“Yeah.” She smiled then leaned up to kiss him. He was just getting into it when she broke away. “More of that later.”

“Oh. Yes. We need to get this in to chill.” She opened the fridge for him and he slid it inside. “And now we wait.”

She slid an arm around him. “And what should we do while we wait?”

“Well, the Olympics are on. We could—”

A pair of lips had driven the thoughts completely from his mind. Four hours later, Merlin pulled the pan from the fridge and cut two small slices.

“Aw, why so small?” Morgana asked from behind him.

“This really is the most decadent thing ever. If you can finish this slice, I’ll be amazed.”

They sat at the table and ate. Merlin was right—this was the richest chocolate concoction she’d ever tasted. But she was just able to finish the slice. “Mm, that really was the best dessert ever.”

“I told you.” He laid his fork down. “Now, where were we?” He leaned over and gave her a toe-curling kiss that she’d never forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like the actual recipe, let me know. It is *really* that good. :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another one, at last! This one's a little "in the heat of the moment." Please enjoy!

Merlin looked up at the jingle of the door. Another customer—although this one was dressed rather shabbily. Oh. This time he recognized Morgana’s disguise before he could make a fool of himself. “Hello, Miss, what can I get for you?”

Morgana came close to the counter and leaned over it. “What I want isn’t on the menu,” she whispered. Louder, she said, “Hot chocolate, extra whipped cream. To go.”

“To go?”

“Well, you are off in five minutes, right?”

“Oh, yeah.” He’d been so entranced he’d forgotten his shift was almost over.

“Good.” She sat down at a table to wait.

Merlin turned to make the drink. Will came in just then, tying his apron on. “You ready to clock out, mate?”

“Yes I am,” Merlin replied, “as soon as I finish this.” He squirted the whipped cream on then took it over to Morgana, who sighed appreciatively.

“Thanks. Oh, and don’t be long.” She blew him a kiss as he turned to take off his apron and collect his things.

Once he returned to the front, he offered her his arm. “Going my way?”

“Why yes I am.” She stood and took his arm, hot chocolate in her other hand. They left the shop together and paused on the sidewalk in front.

“Your place or mine?” Merlin asked.

“Yours. It’s closer.” She gave him a bright smile and the set off in the direction of Merlin’s flat.

“So, what did you have in mind for this evening?”

She hummed. “Dinner and a DVD? I feel like Chinese tonight.”

He smiled. “All right. You’re paying.”

“Naturally.” They both laughed.

They kept up the lighthearted banter all the way to the flat. Once inside, Morgana took off her hat, sunglasses and jacket. She sprawled on the sofa and relaxed. “Well?”

“Oh, of course, your highness.” He picked up the phone and ordered her favorite Chinese entrées. Then he settled down next to her on the sofa. “So what do we do while we wait? Choose a DVD?”

“I can think of something better.” She leaned closer and pressed their lips together.

“Mm, I like this idea,” he said when they broke apart. He threaded a hand into her hair and brought her close again. He pushed their lips together and they turned to face each other.

Morgana licked at his bottom lip to gain entrance into his mouth. He let her then pulled her onto his lap. She straddled him and reached both hands around to hold his neck. He moaned and his hands drifted down her back to hold onto her hips.

A warm shiver ran down her back as their chests pressed together. She moaned when a hand reached under her shirt and began stroking her back. They broke briefly for air, but dove in again. He pressed his palms flat against her back to pull her impossibly closer.

He broke away to start kissing her neck. She mm’ed and let herself sink into the moment. He’d moved down to her collarbone when she spoke again, “I love you.”

Merlin paused in his ministrations and brought his head up so his eyes met hers. “What did you say?”

Morgana flushed, but decided to simply speak the truth. “I love you.”

“You love me? But—”

“It hasn’t been long enough?” She laughed. “Oh Merlin, it’s been long enough for me to know what love feels like. After kissing so many frogs . . .”

He grinned at her. “I wasn’t going to say that. I was going to say, ‘But I wanted to say it first.’”

“Oh.” She cocked her head, puzzled. After a moment, the truth of what he’d said washed over her. “Oh!” A smile lit up her features and she leaned forward to press their lips together again.

By the time they were interrupted by a knock, both had swollen lips and bright eyes. Merlin straightened out his clothing and answered the door.

After dinner had been consumed, neither felt the inclination to watch a DVD.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin gets to visit Morgana's movie set.

Today was the day. Merlin had the day off and he would soon be doing something he’d always dreamed about—visiting a movie set. Luckily Morgana knew about his dream and was filming locally. She’d invited him to come for the day to see how the magic worked. She tried to tell him it wasn’t as glamorous as he thought it was, but he had no illusions. He just wanted to see the magic his girlfriend was a part of.

The moment he set foot outside his apartment, he knew this was really happening. At the curb sat a black limo, complete with uniformed driver standing at the side. “Are you Mister Emrys, sir?” the man asked.

“That’s me,” he replied, stepping up.

The man opened the door and ushered Merlin inside. He found Morgana there, holding a mug of something steaming. “Coffee?” she asked with a smile.

“Please,” he replied.

She turned to a cupboard next to her and pulled out a mug and a carafe of coffee. The limo started moving then, and Merlin relaxed back into the pristine leather seat. “Do you go to work like this every day?”

Morgana laughed as she handed him the cup. “No, usually I catch the tube. But today is special.” She leaned over to kiss him right before he tried to take a sip.

“Mmm, thank you.” He’d gotten the mug away just in time. He drank all of it rather quickly in case she decided to surprise him again. “So what am I going to see today?”

“Well, I’ll do hair, makeup and costume in my trailer, then I’m on tap to film one of the last scenes in the movie.”

“What’s happening in it?”

“My character and her boyfriend are at a critical point in their relationship. They’re either going to break up or decide to get married. I’ll let you see which happens.” She grinned.

“Sounds interesting. I can’t wait to see which.”

“You’ll love it, I’m sure.”

At that moment the limo reached the movie lot and pulled as close as it could get to Morgana’s trailer. They both exited the car on the same side and moved through the onlookers as unobtrusively as possible. “You’d think people who work on movies would be used to seeing limos around,” Merlin commented.

Morgana laughed. “Merlin, you’re thinking too much about Hollywood. And even there people don’t arrive every day in limos. It’s just impractical.”

“Oh.”

“It’s all right.”

Three women waited near the door of Morgana’s trailer, all of them carrying cases. Morgana unlocked the door and all three followed her and Merlin inside. “You can sit over there and watch.” She pointed to a chair not covered in clothing and Merlin sat obediently.

He watched as the hair and makeup artists went to work. Morgana was transformed from “merely” gorgeous to absolutely stunning in what seemed like no time. Just as the finishing touches were being applied, a knock sounded on the door. “Come in!” Morgana called.

A woman carrying hangers full of chic clothes entered. The hair and makeup ladies began cleaning up their brushes and wands as the costumer carried the clothes to the main level. “Here’s your outfit for this morning,” she told Morgana.

“Ooh,” Morgana crowed as she glanced at the skirt and blouse combination.

The first three women left and the costumer stepped forward. Her eyebrow rose at Merlin’s presence, but Morgana quickly explained, “My boyfriend—he’s with me today.”

The costumer smiled then asked Morgana to undress so she could fit the costume on Morgana. Merlin closed his eyes while she changed. A couple minutes later, Morgana told him to open his eyes. He did, only to view his idea of female perfection. Morgana looked beyond fantastic in the outfit and he had to physically stop his mouth from hanging open in admiration. “Wow,” he said instead.

“Thanks!” Morgana threw her brightest smile at him and he nearly swooned. Like a girl. But he pulled himself together and watched as she twirled around, the skirt flaring wildly.

“So what’s next?” he asked.

“Filming. Follow me,” she replied, leading him out the trailer door and to the set. Once there, she squeezed his hand and said, “See you later.”

“Break a leg.”

Merlin watched as she stepped over cables and around people, greeted by everyone. She replied or waved back as she made her way to the director, who talked with her briefly before she walked onto the sound stage, which was set up as a cute outdoor café. There she greeted her handsome co-star and they talked for a few minutes. At one point he saw her point to him and wave, and he waved back. The co-star also waved and Merlin laughed to himself. All this was so surreal. Here he was on a real movie set about to watch actual filming. _Holy cow!_

Soon the director called for action and the cameras began rolling. Merlin observed the scene playing before him, Morgana and her co-star arguing. She was amazing to watch and he was entirely taken in by her role. He could hardly believe that this was the same Morgana who hung out with him, watching DVD’s. But there she was and she was amazing.

He watched as the couple finally resolved their argument and kissed. After the kiss ended, Morgana’s character said, “Marry me.”

The other actor looked totally stunned before he agreed to marry her. They kissed again and the director called “Cut!” Lights came up and the crew clapped.

Morgana made her way to Merlin. “What did you think?”

“You were amazing! And at the end there, wow, I didn’t see that coming,” he replied.

“It is a pretty clever twist, isn’t it?” She smiled at him so sweetly he grew suspicious.

“Morgana, you’ve got that look again.”

“What look?”

He folded his arms and frowned. “That look that says you have a plan you’re not telling me.”

“Who, me?” Suddenly the coy look disappeared from her face and she whispered, “Marry me.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin's reaction to Morgana's proposal.

Merlin felt like his eyes were bugging out of his head, he was so surprised. Morgana had just asked him to marry her. Was she joking? Was she simply acting in character? What was going on here?

Meanwhile, Morgana felt confused at Merlin’s silence. He looked utterly shocked, and not necessarily in a good way. “Merlin?” she asked, uncertain.

His mouth moved but he didn’t speak. Finally something solidified in his eyes and he spoke. “I need to go. Yeah, I have a . . . appointment I forgot about. Yeah. I’m sorry, Morgana. See you later?”

Morgana nodded, even more confused. “Sure.” He turned and began jogging away from her. “Call me!” she yelled at his retreating form. He didn’t turn and gradually disappeared out the building’s entrance. She walked slowly to her trailer, costumer trailing behind her.

oo0O0oo

Clearly Merlin had panicked. At least that’s what Morgana was beginning to think. He didn’t call her for the rest of the day. Or the next. And now she was beginning to panic. Was it too early in their relationship to make a proposal? She thought things had been going well between them. She’d gotten along with Merlin’s mother when she’d come to visit. He got along great with Arthur and even Uther. They could hardly become closer than they already were. Maybe she’d been moving a little fast, but that’s how she worked—when she saw something she wanted, she went for it.

Maybe Merlin was thinking about it. That was fair enough. Plenty of women made their men wait, right? So this frustrating worrying was normal, right? She ended up asking several of her co-workers these questions and was reassured that yes, women made men wait and yes, worrying about it was totally normal. But she didn’t feel better. She missed Merlin.

After a week she’d had enough. She couldn’t focus on anything—eating, sleeping, work . . . and it was beginning to affect others around her. So she decided again, to surprise Merlin at the coffee shop and she would insist on talking to him. The separation was driving her mad.

She called Gaius, the shop’s owner, to confirm when Merlin would be at work, then went in the middle of that time. Her heart beat with excitement as she opened the shop’s door and saw him helping a customer. He was so kind and patient and she knew then that her proposal wasn’t a mistake. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man.

When the customer left, he looked at her with trepidation on his face. She felt the bottom fall out of her stomach, but neared the counter anyway. “Can we talk?” she asked him.

“Morgana, I’m working. Can this wait?” he replied.

“No, actually it can’t. And as far as the work thing goes . . .” the door opened behind her to reveal a grinning Will.

Will stepped up next to Morgana. “You’ve got some explaining to do, mate,” he said. He stepped behind the counter to the back room and emerged a minute later wearing an apron. “Go on, get going.”

Frowning, Merlin took off his apron and handed it to Will. “All right. Apparently I’m free now.” He stepped around the counter to Morgana. “Where do you want to do this?”

A little stung, Morgana motioned to the door. “Let’s take a walk.”

He nodded and they left through the jangling door. He was silent for a minute or two, as if waiting for Morgana to speak first. Finally he decided she wasn’t going to and sighed. “I guess I do owe you an explanation.”

Morgana struggled to come up with un-snarky words. “I would appreciate that, yes.”

They passed a park bench and he pulled her over to sit on it. He kept a hold of her hand and spoke. “Morgana, you really surprised me that day.”

“The day I asked you to marry me? That day a week ago?” She cut herself off before her voice rose too much.

“Yes, that day. And I’m so sorry I haven’t called or anything. I’ve been thinking things over . . . and over . . . and over. I got so wrapped up in myself I didn’t know which way was up for a few days. Will and Gaius have been so patient with me. So now that you’re here with me, I think I know what I want to do.”

Morgana’s beat-up heart began beating faster again. “And?”

“Morgana, I love you and I’m pretty sure I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So yes, I’ll marry you.”

“Merlin! This is so wonderful I—” She was cut off by Merlin’s lips pressing against hers with some urgency. She wisely shut up and kissed him back. His hands went to her waist to hold her tight and hers ran into his hair.

When they broke for air, they were startled to find a clapping group of people surrounding them. They heard “way to go!” and “congrats!” from a few in the group. Several people clapped Merlin on the back or squeezed Morgana’s shoulder before going on their way.

When everyone left, they rested their foreheads together. “Shall we celebrate?” he asked.

“Your flat?” she replied.

“Let’s go.” And they were on their way.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The couple deal with the fallout from their engagement.

The next day, Morgana and Merlin went out together to purchase Morgana’s engagement ring. Morgana insisted on paying for it herself, since she’s the one who did the asking. Merlin protested a bit at this, but finally went along with it. They ignored the paparazzi as well as they could, knowing the news would eventually get out anyway.

Sure enough, the story broke in the tabloids and respectable newspapers that night. The couple wasn’t surprised, but sighed at the inevitability of it all. Morgana called her agent to arrange for a series of interviews so she could legitimize the papers’ claims. She spent the next few days talking to reporters and presenters of television shows. She dragged Merlin to some of them, which he didn’t really care for but was happy to do because hey, it was Morgana and he loved her.

One night they found themselves at a dinner for one of Morgana’s favorite charities. Merlin had no idea there would be so many speeches before one actually got to eat the dinner. His stomach grumbled. Morgana smiled and leaned over to him. “Hungry, darling?”

“Only for you, love,” he whispered back.

She reached her hand to his under the table and gave it a squeeze. She knew he didn’t really care for these types of things, but as long as she was acting and they loved each other, he’d have to put up with them. They’d talked about it at length and agreed that he’d be her date to anything like this she needed to attend, but otherwise he’d stay out of the spotlight, like many celebrities’ spouses. He wanted to continue as normal life as possible and she agreed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin gets to experience walking the red carpet with Morgana.

Merlin shivered with excitement. One of Morgana’s movies was soon to be released to cinemas and theaters worldwide, and the premiere was to be held at the uber famous cinema in London where many premieres were held. And he would be walking down the red carpet with her! Him, a humble coffee shop worker, will be walking down the red carpet with his movie star fiancée. He could hardly believe it.

The day of the premiere, two of Morgana’s stylists showed up at Merlin’s flat. They brought a tuxedo, makeup and hair products and went to work on him. Merlin had had no idea that men actually wore makeup, but he supposed it made sense. In today’s world of HD-everything, even the smallest flaws were visible.

After two hours, they pronounced him done and handed him a mirror. Even he had to admit he looked amazing. His usually unruly hair was tamed and stayed in place when he shook his head. The makeup made him look like his best self—flawless indeed.

About half an hour later, a knock sounded at Merlin’s door. He recognized the man as the limo driver from before. He gulped and shivered again. This was for real—he was actually doing this! The man escorted him to the limo and opened the door for him. He saw Morgana sitting there and she gave him a little wave.

Without further ado, he slid inside and over to Morgana. She looked absolutely stunning in a relatively low-cut, sleeveless, emerald-green gown. Merlin found himself having to consciously close his mouth before he drooled all over the leather seat.

Morgana smiled and said, “Cat got your tongue?” She slipped her hand into his and held on tight.

“Have I told you lately how gorgeous you are?” he replied.

She laughed. “Not in so many words. But do go on.”

“I can’t believe that such a stunning creature fell for me, a humble coffee shop worker.”

“Oh Merlin, you charm me so. You made it easy for me to fall for you, love. I am so grateful for that day when you took me in and hid me from the paps.”

He laughed. “Hey, I couldn’t turn down a damsel in distress.”

“That I was.”

They reminisced for several more minutes as the car drove on. When it finally slowed, they looked out the windows to see crowds lining the street. “We’re here.” Merlin said.

“Looks like it. Now we join the queue.”

They moved forward slowly as the limos in front of them let out their passengers. Merlin could see the bright lights of the cinema in front of him, and the flashing lights of cameras. Soon that would be him and Morgana being photographed. He’d gotten used to it over the past couple of weeks, but this was a huge event and he found himself suddenly nervous.

“Are you nervous?” Morgana asked. He nodded. “You know what? The first few times I did this I was as nervous as hell, so I understand.” She squeezed his hand and he smiled.

Just then, the limo stopped. Merlin swallowed while Morgana lifted up his hand and kissed it. “Just smile and wave, love. And stay close to me, of course.”

The door opened and Merlin was temporarily blinded by all the light. The roar of the crowd surprised him a bit. Morgana slid over to the door and held out her hand. The driver pulled her out gently and the crowd’s roar ticked up a notch at her appearance. The driver reached in again and Merlin took his hand. He stood there a moment, taking it all in. The wide red carpet lay before them and it was bordered on two sides. Behind those barricades, huge crowds stood waving and screaming.

He held out his arm to Morgana, who took it with a huge smile on her face. As they walked toward the entrance, he heard people call out Morgana’s name. He even heard his name a few times. He smiled and waved in the general direction of those calls. Too many flashes to count went off in their direction, but he just held onto Morgana and kept walking until Morgana paused, which she did now and then.

Merlin couldn’t hide his relief as the doors opened for them and they went inside. It looked like a regular cinema, but much more upscale. “We made it,” Morgana said, turning to him. She kissed his cheek and began greeting her movie co-stars and other bigwigs. He was introduced to all of them but promptly forgot their names.

Finally the lobby lights dimmed. “Popcorn?” Morgana asked.

“Oh, I’m sure I can’t afford the popcorn here,” he replied.

“It’s complimentary.” She grinned.

“Then yes!”

They received their popcorn and drinks from the vendor and followed the crowd into the theater. They were guided to their seats by well-dressed men with those fancy lights. As the lights went down, he took Morgana’s hand and turned to her. She smiled at him then gave him a quick kiss. His head spun for a moment as he turned to face the screen. He thought about how truly blessed he was to be where he was now, with the woman he loved. He’d love her even if she wasn’t a movie star, but the added perks made him smile. He really was the lucky one.


	11. After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After walking down the red carpet.

Merlin clapped along with the others as the lights came up in the theater. It had been a truly amazing movie, where Morgana had played leading lady to an action/adventure star. He was sure he’d have loved the movie even without all the cars and explosions, but those gave it extra appeal.

“What now?” he asked Morgana.

“Now we wait for the limo to come pick us up,” she said as they walked from the theater.

“And how will we know when it’s out there?”

She reached into her tiny bag and pulled out her phone. “This, you adorkable man.” She kissed his cheek and smiled brightly.

While they waited, different people wandered over to converse with Morgana. He felt like he had before the movie, totally blown away that Morgana knew all these people but still loved him, Merlin the humble barista.

A couple minutes into the conversation with Morgana’s handsome co-star, her phone rang. She fished it out of her bag and looked at the number. “Time to go. See you later, Chad,” she said to the co-star.

Morgana looped her arm through Merlin’s as he held it out, and together they walked out through doors held open for them. Again they walked the red carpet through yelling fans. Merlin remembered to smile, wave and hold onto Morgana. At one point, someone called his name and he turned to face them, but tripped over his own foot. Fortunately Morgana caught him before he went down all the way. Unfortunately he’d twisted his ankle, so he limped the rest of the way to the limo.

As if he wasn’t embarrassed enough, the driver asked if was all right in a very loud voice as he held the door open. Merlin replied “yes” and slid into the car. Morgana followed and watched as Merlin flushed and hung his head. “I’m so sorry,” he said.

“What for?” She raised an eyebrow.

“For embarrassing you like that.”

She scooted closer and lifted his head with her hand. “Merlin, you could never embarrass me.”

“But I just tripped walking down the red carpet. THE red carpet!”

Morgana smiled. “What, you think that hasn’t happened before? I’ve snagged my heels on that thing myself. I don’t even know why I wear these death traps.” She kicked off her extra-high heels. “I’m more worried about your ankle. Let’s see it.”

He reluctantly lifted his foot so it lay across her lap. She removed his shoe and sock. “It looks a little swollen but you were able to put your weight on it, right?”

“Yeah, it doesn’t feel too bad.”

“All right. We’ll see how it is in the morning.” With that, she slid the sock and shoe back on and slid as close to Merlin as she could get. “Besides, I have plans for you.” She again took his face in her hand and pressed their lips together. Merlin soon forgot all about his ankle and the red carpet.


	12. Their Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little recap of the story so far. :)

The flashy morning show hostess Erin Meyer turned to the camera and said, “Good morning everyone! I’m here with Morgana Pendragon and her fiancé, Merlin Emrys. We’ll get the scoop on how these two got together.” She turned to the couple. “Welcome Morgana and Merlin.”

“Thank you, Erin,” they said together.

“Oh that’s so cute!” Erin exclaimed.

Morgana grinned while Merlin blushed. “I think so too,” Morgana replied.

“So, Morgana and Merlin, you two became media darlings when you announced your engagement six months ago. Well, Merlin did. Morgana’s used to all that. Tell me, Merlin, how did you two meet?”

“Oh, you’ll want to hear Morgana’s version of that story. It’s much more entertaining,” Merlin said.

“Thanks, love,” Morgana replied, smacking Merlin lightly on the shoulder.

“You’re welcome.”

“All right, now I definitely have to hear it,” Erin said. “Morgana?”

Morgana grinned. “It’s like this. One day last spring, I was being chased by the paparazzi. I rounded a corner and saw this cute little coffee shop, so I ducked inside. Merlin was behind the counter there.”

“I sense there’s more,” Erin said.

“Oh yes. I could tell he knew who I was. But instead of asking for an autograph or plying me with bad pick-up lines, he offered to hide me. Well, I asked him to and he agreed.”

“Aww.”

“Yeah, I was very surprised. Anyway, I hid in the restroom and when the paps left, he let me out. Then he offered me all these things to disguise me—a hat, a t-shirt, his apron, and some glasses. He wouldn’t even let me pay for them, but I left him with my autograph. And my number.”

“That was so sweet of you, Merlin.”

“I couldn’t leave her defenseless, could I? And she was so nice, so down-to-earth,” Merlin said.

“Oh you two, you’re making me blush,” Erin replied. “So what happened next? I bet you thought you’d never see her again, Merlin.”

“I didn’t think I’d ever have a reason to call her. But then I told a few friends about our encounter and they kept bothering me to call her. Things came to a head one week when my friends put together a game night. They pressured me to call her, to get her to come.”

Morgana patted his arm in sympathy. “When I left him my number, I meant for him to use it. He’d seemed like a genuinely nice guy and I wanted to repay him for his kindness. So when he called, I said yes. And naturally his friends were surprised, but very nice.”

“She did me a further favor. At the end of the evening, she kissed me.”

“That must have shocked you,” Erin said.

“Oh I’ll say,” Morgana smirked.

Merlin blushed again. “It did. And she surprised me further by showing up at the coffee shop again one day.”

“In my defense, he hadn’t called me for a while,” Morgana interrupted.

“I hadn’t wanted to presume too much. But she straightened me out rather quickly.”

“How so?” Erin wondered.

“I claimed him as my boyfriend,” Morgana said.

Merlin blushed. “Then I got to meet her half-brother. That’s how I knew she was serious.”

Erin turned to Morgana. “And they got along?”

“Better than I’d planned.”

“So you dated for a while. How did you get engaged?”

Merlin ducked his head while Morgana spoke. “I invited Merlin to a day at my movie shoot. After it was all over, I asked him to marry me.”

“And how did that go over? Merlin?”

“I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t take it well. I invented an appointment and left. Then I didn’t talk to her for a week.”

“Why not?”

“She’d surprised me and I got so wrapped up in my thoughts I didn’t know what to do.”

“So how did you come around?”

“Morgana showed up at the coffee shop again. We went on a walk and talked. By then I thought I knew what I wanted but it had been so long I didn’t know how to approach her. She brought it out of me, and the rest is history.”

Morgana held up her left hand, where the diamond sparkled under the lights. Merlin grinned and put his arm around her. They looked at each other for a moment before Merlin bent down to give her a quick kiss.

“Aww,” Erin said. “And there you have it, folks. The story of how the cutest couple in Britain got together. Thank you and have a wonderful day.”


	13. Our Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> M & M talk about getting a home together.

Merlin ran his fingers through Morgana’s hair. “Where do you want to live when we’re married? My place, your place or somewhere else?”

“I’ve been thinking about that too. While I love both of our places, I like the idea of creating our own space somewhere, together.”

“Any ideas of where you’d like that to be?”

“Well, it’s quiet uptown. And there are lots of places to go. It’s even closer to the coffee shop.” Morgana grinned.

“Very cute,” Merlin agreed. He kissed her nose. “When do you want to go looking?”

“Today.”

“Today?”

“I’m off work, you’re off work . . . it’s the perfect opportunity.”

Merlin laughed. “All right. Today it is. But first . . .” He leaned over to kiss her, and soon they were involved in much more pleasant things than hunting for a flat.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin needs to ask Arthur an important question.

“So what is it you have to ask me?” Arthur asked Merlin.

Merlin had invited him to the coffee shop to ask Arthur a rather important question. They’d gotten to be rather good friends over the last few months, and as Will would be out of town for the wedding, Arthur was the best person to ask. He’d run the idea past Morgana, and though she’d laughed pretty hard, she’d agreed that Arthur was the best choice.

“Um, are you sure I can’t get you anything first?”

“Merlin, I purposely took a long lunch break so I could be over here right now. Time is money, mate.”

“Right, so I wanted to know if you’llbemybestman?”

Arthur frowned. “Come again? I didn’t catch the second part there.”

Merlin sighed. “Sorry. I was wondering if you’d be my best man?”

Arthur’s brow rose. “Really? That’s what you wanted to ask me?”

“Yes? Look, if you don’t want to do it—”

“Merlin, you idiot. Of course I’ll do it. I’m honored, actually.”

“Really? I mean, great! And thanks so much. That’s about the only thing I get to do for the wedding and I didn’t want to screw it up.”

Arthur chuckled. “Right, I get it. And no problem. Just out of curiosity, what did Morgana think of this?”

“She laughed, but when she was done laughing, she agreed. I guess she really does values you.”

“That harpy! It’s a good thing she’s my sister.”

Merlin laughed. “Yeah, that’s why we love her, huh?”

“We do indeed.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally time for the rehearsal dinner.

It was finally the night before the wedding. The rehearsal dinner, which felt like a family dinner, was in full sway. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves. Even shy Hunith, who’d been exchanging child-raising stories with Uther and Vivienne seemed to be out of her shell.

Arthur was conversing with Gwen, the maid of honor and only bridesmaid. She and Morgana had hit it off from that first game night. Morgana had asked her because she was the only friend Morgana had who didn’t ask anything of her and didn’t run to the press whenever Morgana talked to her.

Gaius spoke occasionally but mostly he watched the others around him. He’d had to close the coffee shop for the occasion, but had been glad to as a favor to Hunith and Merlin. They considered him to be an uncle who had been friends with Merlin’s father before he died.

Merlin and Morgana held hands and watched their family and friends hitting it off. She leaned over to him to ask, “Do you think Arthur has a chance with Gwen?”

“Oh, I think he’s got a shot. Lance hasn’t been around much lately. Didn’t she tell you?”

“Well lately we’ve only talked about wedding stuff.”

Merlin chuckled and they went back to watching their family chat.

At the end of dessert, Hunith glanced over at Merlin, who nodded at her. She tapped on her glass with her spoon. When everyone was looking at her, she stopped and stood with her glass. “I’d like to thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate Merlin and Morgana’s wedding.

“Morgana, you’re everything I could have asked for in a daughter—kind, generous, and famous.” Everyone laughed. “Thank you for making my Merlin as happy as I have always wished he could be.

“And a special thanks to the Pendragons for helping me fund this dinner, as well as being genuinely good friends. And thank you, Gaius, for letting us use this wonderful place. I felt it appropriate, considering how Merlin and Morgana met.”

There was laughter and clapping as Hunith smiled and sat down. Everyone turned to face Merlin, who picked up his glass and stood.

“I’d like to thank Gaius for giving me the time off to plan this wedding with my lovely fiancée.” Gaius chuckled. “He’s been the best boss a guy could ask for.”

“Don’t think you’re quitting on me,” Gaius interjected.

“Of course not. I plan to be here as long as you’ll have me.” Gaius nodded and Merlin smiled. He turned to Morgana. “And I’d like to toast my beautiful bride. Sometimes I don’t feel like I deserve her, but she’s quick to point out that I’ve brought out the best in her.” There was a collective “aww” around the room. “I thank you, my love, for also bringing out the best in me. I love you and so happy I get to spend my life with you.”

There was more clapping as Merlin sat down. Morgana turned to him with shining eyes. “Thank you.” She leaned over and kissed him gently while the room “aww’ed” again. He took her hand and together they faced the rest of the table.

Everyone was clapping. Arthur even whooped. Together they basked in the love of family and friends, knowing tomorrow would be a glorious day.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On his wedding day, Merlin asks Arthur for a huge favor.

Merlin searched his designer suit’s pockets frantically. He could have sworn he’d had it when he left his flat earlier, but now it was nowhere to be found. And it was no use looking anywhere else—there was nowhere else he would have put the thing.

Arthur chose that moment to enter the room. Merlin turned to see his friend and uttered, “Arthur! Thank goodness!”

Arthur took in Merlin’s less-than-composed state. “What’s going on?”

“You have to do me the biggest favor of my life.”

“Oh-kay. What is it?”

Merlin fished his keys from a pocket and tossed them at Arthur, who caught them deftly. “You have to go to my flat and find the ring.”

“What?!”

“Arthur, please. I can’t find it. I know I had it in my hand after I got dressed, but after that, I have no idea.”

“Is this your idea of a joke?”

“Are you kidding? Arthur, please don’t let me ruin my marriage before it even starts.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll go.” He turned to leave.

“Please hurry.”

“Of course.”

Merlin began pacing. Meanwhile, Arthur got in his car and drove the short distance to Merlin’s flat. He hurried from his car, up the steps and through the door. There he stopped, aghast at the disaster in front of him. Merlin’s flat looked like a tornado had hit it. He threw his hands into the air and moaned “Why me?” before he began picking things up to look under them.

It took him twenty minutes to go through the living room and kitchen. No ring, and time was passing quickly. He’d answered three frantic calls from Merlin before he switched his phone off. Now he headed for the bedroom, which was the most likely place, he thought.

He walked in, glanced around and headed for the dresser. There sat a little black velvet box. He sighed, picked up the box and pocketed it. Then he reached for his phone and dialed Merlin, who answered before the first ring completed. “How did you—never mind. I have the ring and I’m en route.” He hung up before Merlin could answer and raced down to his car.

Arthur flew low back to the church, where Merlin was still pacing. He looked up when Arthur burst through the door panting. “Here,” he said, holding out the box.

“I can’t thank you enough, Arthur.”

“Just do me a favor.”

“Anything.” Music sounded from the chapel.

Arthur stepped forward to help Merlin right his suit. “Just clean your flat!”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin and Arthur tease each other at the reception.

“And now I pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

Merlin lifted Morgana’s veil and leaned down to press their lips together. He was going for a chaste kiss, but Morgana threw her arms around his neck and dragged him closer for something more lengthy and sensual. After several seconds, their audience began to titter. Merlin managed to free himself with a big grin, and he turned them to face their family and friends.

The audience began clapping while Arthur leaned over and said, “Good one, mate.”

Merlin flushed but Morgana smiled proudly. She finally had Merlin all to herself, a man she knew would cherish her, support her and not try to change her. She looped her arm through his and they made their way to the back of the church where a limo was waiting to take them to their reception.

At the reception, Merlin and Morgana circled the room, thanking their guests. Eventually they came upon Arthur, who stood talking to Gwen near the bar.

“That was such a beautiful ceremony,” said Gwen, beaming at her friends.

“Thank you,” Morgana replied.

“So Merlin,” Arthur said, “how does it feel to be a husband?”

“So far so good.” Merlin grinned. “I’d say it was a definite promotion.”

Morgana smiled. “Aw, thank you!”

“No problem, love.”

“You two are disgusting,” Arthur said, pretending to gag.

“Aw Arthur, you just need to find yourself a girlfriend,” Merlin replied.

“Working on it,” Arthur whispered back, with a glance at Gwen.

Merlin laughed, prompting the chatting Morgana and Gwen to look at him. “What is it?” Morgana asked.

Arthur glared at Merlin, willing him to stay quiet. Merlin opened his mouth and said, “Arthur just said something funny, that’s all.”

“I think it’s time you moved on,” Arthur said.

“All right,” Morgana replied. “Come, love, let’s finish the room before the dancing starts.”

Merlin went pale. “Oh. I forgot about the dancing.”

Arthur smacked his back. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” He smiled.

“Um, thanks?”

Morgana began tugging his arm. He threw Arthur a wave and walked on with his wife. Arthur snickered behind his back and turned to face Gwen again.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding dances. :)

Merlin and Morgana had just finished greeting all their guests in the reception hall when he heard a fanfare of music start up behind him. “Oh no,” he said.

Morgana seized his arm. “It’s time.”

Merlin swallowed hard. It the moment he had dreaded all night. Their first dance as husband and wife. He was not at all confident in his dancing skills, despite months of ballroom dance classes. “Well, I did promise to honor you and all that.”

“Yes you did, now come on.”

She led him to the middle of the dance floor, which had miraculously cleared itself. He placed a hand on her waist and took hers in his other one. They waited until the music started again then he took his first step.

Soon they were gliding across the floor. Merlin smiled in amazement; he was actually doing it without messing up.

“Looks like those lessons paid off after all,” Morgana whispered.

“It looks like it!” He grinned at his bride and continued to lead her through the song they had chosen for this. They glided across the floor like Merlin had been born to dance, and he began to believe it himself.

As the song drew to a close, cheers and clapping broke out from among the crowd. Merlin lead Morgana into a graceful spin then they both took a bow. He led her over to her father and he found his mother waiting for him with a big smile on her face.

“You look so beautiful together, Merlin,” she told him.

“Thanks, mum. I worked hard to make it look easy.”

“I know you did, and I applaud you for that. My beautiful boy, married.”

“Aw, mum. Don’t make me cry.”

Hunith blinked away tears. “This just brings me back to all my moments with you.”

Merlin laughed. “You mean all the crazy things I put you through?”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Merlin.”

And they danced on, each reliving pleasant memories of his childhood and looking forward to the days yet to come. Many long, happy days.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And on the honeymoon . . .

“You know what we didn’t talk about before the wedding?” Morgana asked Merlin. They were lying on the bed that morning, legs and hands entwined.

“What didn’t we talk about?” Merlin replied.

“Children.”

“Ah, children.”

“Yes, you do want them, don’t you?”

Merlin looked into her eyes. “Of course I do, I mean, sometime, of course.”

“I can imagine a little girl, with your wavy hair and sapphire eyes.”

“Sapphire? Ooh, I like that. How about a little boy, with your jade eyes and mischievous streak?”

“I am not—okay, maybe I am mischievous.” She reached up to stroke his face.

“Of course you are. It’s one of the many things I love about you.”

“Aww, you’re sweet. And that’s one of the many things I love about you.”

He leaned over so he could press his lips to hers briefly. “So do you want to get out of bed anytime today?” He nodded his head toward the sliding doors that led out to their own section of private beach.

“Mmm, maybe later.” She pressed closer to Merlin so she could reach his lips. Soon they were more entangled than they’d been previously, and neither paid attention to the tropical scene outside


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The honeymoon continues. This one's rated PG-13.

Merlin and Morgana sat on a blanket outside, on their small section of private beach. The tropical breeze blew the palm fronds so they made a funny pattern on the white sand where the sun shone down through them. The waves kicked it up a notch as they held hands and watched them lap at their feet.

“There really is something to this whole private beach thing, isn’t there?” Morgana wondered.

“I’m really glad we sprung for it. It was totally worth it,” Merlin agreed.

She turned to him.” You know what else we could do besides sit here on this _private_ beach?”

“I have a pretty good idea, but why don’t you tell me?”

She moved close until their lips were a hair’s breadth apart. “Go for another big O.”

“Oh, you want to turn this into a competition? Because I think you’re winning.”

“Maybe so, but I can fix that.” Her hand drifted from his neck and moved south rapidly.

“I like how you think.” He pushed forward, pressing their lips together. Her free hand wound into his hair and Merlin sighed as her hand reached its target.

No more was said for the rest of the afternoon.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin receives a call right when they step off the plane.

“Hi Merlin, it’s Arthur,” Merlin heard when he picked up his phone. They’d just landed from their honeymoon trip, and evidently Arthur couldn’t wait another second to talk to him.

“Hey, Arthur,” he replied with no enthusiasm.

“It was that bad, huh?”

“No, I just didn’t expect to hear from you this soon. We just landed.”

“Is that my idiot brother?” Morgana whispered. Merlin nodded. “Well tell him to shove off.”

“I heard that,” Arthur said in his ear. “And I won’t ‘shove off.’”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Fine. What do you want?”

“I just want to know how you two are doing.”

“Well, Arthur, we just got home. How do you think we’re doing?”

“I meant, how was the trip?”

“It was great. Really great. We laid around all day and had—”

“Let me stop you right there.”

“You wanted to know.”

Arthur sighed. “I’m sorry I asked. So you’re getting along just fine.”

“We’re closer than ever, if you know what I mean.”

“Ugh. Thanks for that visual.”

“Hey, we’ve got nothing to hide, do we love?”

“Nope, nothing at all.” Morgana chimed in.

“Do you two ever argue about anything?”

“Well, we did have a brief ‘discussion’ about where to lay on the beach for our afternoon bout of—”

“And there you go again with the TMI.”

Merlin sighed. “Was there a point to this conversation?”

“I guess not.”

“Good. Now if you don’t mind, we’re going to catch a ride home and sleep for a week since we didn’t get much on the trip.”

“Eww. I’ll leave you too it.”

“Bye Arthur.” Merlin hit “end call” on his phone. “The nerve of that guy.”

“Did you mean it about sleeping when we got home?”

Merlin grinned. “Only if you wanted to.”

Morgana licked her lips. “Oh good. Because I had this dream on the plane and I really wanted to try it out with you.”

Merlin bent down to capture her lips briefly. “Sounds good to me.”

They quickly hailed a taxi and were soon on their way home.


	22. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin and Morgana arrive at home.

Merlin opened the flat’s door for Morgana then closed it behind them both. They turned around to see small piles of boxes everywhere. “Oh yeah,” Morgana said, “I forgot about this.”

Merlin grinned. “It’s time for our next adventure—moving in.”

Morgana dropped her bags. “I forget—why didn’t we unpack before we left?”

“Because we were going crazy with wedding plans.”

“Great.”

Merlin set his bag down. “Don’t worry, love, I think the bed’s set up, at least.” He wandered over to the master bedroom door and peered inside. “Yup, the bed’s set up. You want to take it for a test drive?”

“As tempting as that is, I think we’d probably better unpack a few boxes first. Especially in the kitchen.”

“Are you hungry?”

“I’m getting there.”

Merlin laughed. “All right. Let’s hope Gwen and Arthur filled the fridge and cupboards like they said they would. I mean, I trust Gwen, but Arthur?”

Morgana opened the fridge. “Yes! Thank you, Gwen.”

Merlin looked over her shoulder. “Great! So how about a couple of omelets, and oh, look, wine!”

“Sounds good.” She cozied up to him and ran her finger down his chest. “Then we can make the bed and try it out.”

“Mm.” Merlin leaned down to press their lips together.

A shiver ran through Morgana and she almost forgot she was hungry. She broke away, laughing. “Down, boy. More of that later.”

Merlin pouted. “Okay. Let’s get those omelets made.”

Soon they were sipping wine and devouring their veggie omelets. And when they finished, Morgana led the way to the bedroom, where the bed most definitely got broken in.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Morgana dreams of a possible future.

Morgana slept, and as she slept, she dreamed.

There was a house, a cute little house with the cliché white picket fence. She watched as two small children ran into the picture. Both had dark hair, as dark as hers. They were yelling with joy. Around the corner of the house came Merlin. It was clear he was chasing the children. He growled like a bear as he neared the running children.

“Mummy, mummy!” The children giggled as they ran closer to her. She knelt down and opened her arms wide. They ran into her arms and she embraced them tightly.

She could now see that one was a little boy and one was a little girl, about ages three and five. The girl had Merlin’s eyes and the boy, hers. She laughed then tickled the two as Merlin ran over. He looked a little older, but still had the same smile that had attracted her the first time she saw him.

“Ooh, can I join in?” he said.

“Nooo!” the children shrieked while still giggling.

Merlin knelt down and joined Morgana in tickling the two little ones. He began laughing as well and soon all four had fallen to the ground in a laughing hug.

It felt good. It felt oh so good. She was amazed at the love the poured through her. It was like the love she felt for Merlin had tripled and she knew it was right. She wanted to feel this way forever.

Slowly the scene faded away as she woke. She smiled as the feeling of overwhelming love stayed with her. Had it been a dream of the future? She hoped so.

Next to her, Merlin stirred and woke. “What are you smiling for?” he asked.

Morgana rolled into his arms. “I just had the best dream—and I’d love for it to be real.” She proceeded to tell him the dream.

“That’s a very good dream,” he agreed, holding her tighter. “What do you say we get to work on it now?”

“Yes, let’s.” She rolled on top of him and melded her lips to his. They soon forgot everything else.


End file.
